BLISS TOWNSHIP — A 14-year-old boy from Alanson drowned Sunday evening at Sturgeon Bay Beach in Bliss Township, according to the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office.
According to an Aug. 4 news release, deputies said they were called to the Lake Michigan beach around 5:41 p.m. for reports of two teenage boys struggling in the water. A bystander rescued one teen, but the other went under and did not resurface.
The Emmet County Dive Team conducted a search and later recovered the boy’s body in the area where he was last seen. His name is being withheld to respect the family’s privacy.
“Our hearts are broken for the family,” Sheriff Matt Leirstein said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this incredibly difficult time.”
Leirstein said strong northeast currents in northern Lake Michigan created hazardous conditions for swimmers. Dive team members reported being pulled by the current as they entered the water for the search.
The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard, Emmet County EMS, Emmet County Search and Rescue, Pellston Fire Department, Carp Lake Fire Department, Readmond-Friendship Fire Department and the Emmet County Medical Examiner’s Office.